First, a word on Phil. Phil is the one taking Claire undercover (again there is always someone in love with her acting on her behalf, this is really annoying )

We have a list of characteristics such as ex-military, PI, worked for Tony, his social life is non-existing aaaaand he's in love with Claire (who isn't), but that is just what he is i.e, a list. He's not a character, he's a sock puppet and a plot device. This didn't show in previous books as he had a small part in them, but Now we can see that he has no personality .

Moving on.

The whole escape thing is ludicrous. The sole motivation is Claire being afraid of an old woman, Tony's housekeeper(or something) with no money or power of her own. She thinks she can harm her and her child and so instead of doing the obvious thing, telling someone AND hiding oversees too, why not, but then again Claire was never known for her smarts.

I first assumed (and rejoiced) that she was leaving Tony for good.It would have been the sweetest revenge to have framed him for her murder as he did her, take away his freedom as he has taken hers, it would have been freaking poetic (god I'm disappointed) but now that has contacted authorities, why the f**k is she faking a disappearance? And why would the FBI give a shit since she's not missing.

Oh, and the FBI dragged her ex into it, you know why? Because this a freaking soap opera, that's why.